U.S. midfielder Alejandro Bedoya will miss Saturday’s CONCACAF Cup matchup with Mexico after suffering from a fever this week, U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann said Wednesday.
Bobby Wood will replace Bedoya, who missed the past two days of training.
“It’s a bummer because he was burning,” Klinsmann said of Bedoya.
Klinsmann also confirmed that Michael Bradley, who was also at the press conference, will captain the U.S. side on Saturday. Bradley said he is optimistic about how his team will respond with Bedoya out.
MB on Bedoya’s absence: “We’ll miss Alejandro for sure…We all have faith that whoever steps on the field tomorrow will be ready to go.”
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 9, 2015
Hit the jump from other notes from the U.S. press conference: Landon Donovan spit some hot fire earlier this week, saying that a loss Saturday should cost Klinsmann his job. When asked of Donovan’s comments, Klinsmann said the pressure is no higher due to the former player’s words.
“Thankfully expectations are high,” Klinsmann said. “It shows the growth of the game in this country. … I’ve been living with that for 35 years, the pressure. I’ve won a couple of games and lost a couple of games. It’s the beauty of it as well.” Some photos/tweets from the U.S. training session and media time:
One last media session before the #CONCACAFCup #USAvMEX pic.twitter.com/EC0Id3c8OX
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 10, 2015
Getting things going for tonight’s final training session @rosebowlstadium. #USAvMEX #USMNT pic.twitter.com/pITIjGFrbl
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 10, 2015
All focus on #USAvMEX. #CONCACAFCup #USMNT pic.twitter.com/KVPh07o47p
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 10, 2015
One last jog. One last practice. #USAvMEX is nearly here. pic.twitter.com/x84sxuhNu4
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 10, 2015